Most pediatricians worldwide recommend the consumption of soy milk in children with lactose intolerance or allergy., these are the words of Manuel Hernández, a former head of the Pediatric Services of the Ramón y Cajal Hospitals and the Child Jesus of Madrid.
Apparently, pediatricians find soy products as an excellent substitute for those foods that the child's body does not tolerate. He also argues that it has a pleasant taste, is cheaper (?) And children accept it more easily.
Last September we published an article that indicated the need not to suppress dairy products to children who have lactose intolerance. The American Academy of Pediatrics informed us that, in spite of the problems that could be generated by this intolerance, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea, it was necessary not to permanently dispense with these foods and try to make a moderate daily consumption without entering into risks for the child. The experts explained then that the problem arose when the parents, in addition to the milk, removed the rest of the dairy products, causing poor growth and development.
The information provided by Manuel Hernández, could well be misinterpreted and parents introduce soy in the diet of the child replacing milk and dairy products. As we said before, this is not what experts recommend. Soy may be an excellent alternative, but this should be combined as far as possible with the rest of dairy products, at least this is what the American Academy of Pediatrics shows us.
Surely we will obtain more information about the soy introduced in the feeding of children in the recently published book The Health and Soy of the Tomás Pascual Institute.
